No tall order for Fremantle Dockers coach Ross Lyon

AFL correspondent in Western Australia

Michael Apeness seems to have shored up a forward role with Fremantle. Photo: Getty Images

First year Fremantle player Michael Apeness has found himself fit and in the right place at the right time of the year.

The 199cm key forward made his AFL debut last weekend in the Dockers 63-point win over Melbourne in Darwin and it seems the Dockers may opt for him to assist captain Matthew Pavlich in attack.

Apeness appears to have jumped to the front of the queue by default - and will be given a chance to stay there.

Coach Ross Lyon was happy with his first-up efforts.

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"I thought he was really good, really good. It was tough conditions," he said of the 21-year-old.

"I thought he competed really strongly. It's a bit of what we're after. He's an exciting young talent.

"Last week he was outnumbered a bit and brought it to ground and he brings (Hayden) Ballantyne and those guys into the game.

We're not a super tall front half. Matthew (Pavlich) is 191-192cm, (Chris) Mayne is 188cm, (Zac) Carke is our tallest when he's there at 200cm.

"So we could do with some more height.

"He's a bit of a beast. He competes. So we're looking for that in our front half."

Lyon said he thought Apeness did enough against the Demons to earn his place in the side that will play GWS at Patersons Stadium on Sunday.

However, he warned that even some of the best tall forwards found it tough at the start of their careers.

"It's not going to be a smooth ride for him the whole time. He's got a lot to learn. It's hard for young talls,” Lyon said.

“If you go back, I think Drew Petrie for his first few years averaged four touches or something, so it's a tough business being a young tall forward.

"It's never been tougher in the AFL being a power forward, particularly a young one."

Matt Taberner, at 197cm, is one of the unlucky players. He was given an opportunity after kicking 16 goals in eight games in the WAFL this season - however with key defenders sidelined through injury he was forced to play in the backline for the round 15 victory over West Coast.

Unfortunately, he suffered a hamstring injury, which allowed Apeness into the side the following week.

"He's a bit unlucky because he would've played if he hadn't been injury really. He would've stayed in and just gone forward. He's a bit unlucky," Lyon said of Taberner.

At 197cm and with 35 AFL games under his belt, Scott Gumbleton was potentially the player to add that much-needed height into their forward line this season.

However, a hamstring injury in the pre-season saw the former Essendon forward sidelined for the first 11 rounds of the season.

He has played the past five games with Peel Thunder in the WAFL, but has yet to hit his straps and has returned 4.6 in that time.

Time may be running out for him to push for a place in Fremantle's finals line-up.

Kepler Bradley is another option for Lyon if Apeness doesn't rise to the occasion. Bradley, at 198cm, has played in the WAFL since round six, having recovered from a knee reconstruction.

He has kicked 87 goals in 117 AFL games after 10 seasons at the elite level, although he has been playing mainly as a key defender in the twos.

Opportunity may be the problem for those Dockers not currently in the side though.

With a second bye added to this season's schedule (after round 18 for Fremantle), Lyon may not have to find games in the run home where he can rest players.

When the Dockers return from a week off after meeting St Kilda in Melbourne, they will have five home and away fixtures to finalise their preparation for the finals.

Lyon said that is one reason why he did not rest Pavlich for last week's game against Melbourne.

The Dockers skipper flew to Darwin with the side but returned home to Perth before the game started after waking up feeling sick.

"Last year there was one bye and I think that is getting forgotten a little bit," Lyon said.

"We've had a bye early in the year and a bye four weeks out... is ideal really for everyone.

"I suppose in the seat I sit in I don’t have the luxuries (of resting players); I would love to have seen the headlines had I rested Pav. That would be a nice headline for me, wouldn’t it?

"I tend to pick the best team available, you know."

That team to meet GWS on Sunday is likely to include All-Australian defender Michael Johnson, who will return after four weeks on the sidelines.

Fremantle was without Johnson and Luke McPharlin for three of their past four games, McPharlin having returned last weekend.

Lyon said it was important to get him back on the ground as soon as he was available.

"He hasn't played for I think this will be his fifth week," Lyon said. "You don't want to miss too much of league footy - it's a brutal competition.

"He's obviously a valued leader around the place and a real general down there and a pretty good player, so we're keen to get him up and going."